Thermodynamic power system and methods

ABSTRACT

A thermodynamic power system, including in combination a membrane compressor comprising wall means which define an enclosure with a membrane or membranes in the enclosure dividing the same into inlet and outlet sides. Conduit means connect the inlet side of the membrane compressor to a source of gas. Each membrane is constructed so as to permit the passage of gas molecules from the inlet side to the outlet side and prohibits the passage of gas molecules from the outlet side to the inlet side. Conduit means connect the outlet side of the membrane compressor to a work performing mechanism to drive the same. The disclosure also relates to the method of doing work in accordance with the terms of the invention. Methods of making permeable membranes, in particular membranes having unidirectional characteristics, are included.

United States Patent Schultz [45] June 20, 1972 [5 THERMODYNAMIC POWERSYSTEM OTHER PUBLICATIONS AND METHODS ASME Publication, A Study ofThermal Transpiration for [72] Inventor: Arthur H. Schultz, 6003 LouisDrive, gig fig OfZNeW Type of Gas Pump by Hopfinger North Olmsted, Ohio44070 Pages Page [22] Filed: June 22, 1970 Primary Examiner-Edgar W.Geoghegan [2]] Appl No: 48,313 Attorney-Woodling, Krost, Granger andRust 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. ..60/57 R, 60/57 T, 60/59 T,

92 9 417/4 417/430 A thermodynamic power system, including incombination a [51] Int. Cl ..F01b 31/00 mem r n ompressor mpri ing wallmean which define [58] Field of Search ..60/59 T, 57 T, 57 R; 417/48, anenclosure with a membrane or membranes in the enclosure 417/207, 480;92/96 dividing the same into inlet and outlet sides. Conduit meansconnect the inlet side of the membrane compressor to a [56] Referencescued source of gas. Each membrane is constructed so as to permit UNITEDSTATES PATENTS the passage of molecules from the inlet side to theoutlet side and prohibits the passage of gas molecules from the outlet2, 1 949 Benning e! a! T side to the inlet side. Conduit means connectthe outlet side of 2,621,481 12/1952 B T the membrane compressor to awork performing mechanism 3,213,001 10/1965 Schmidt ..60/59 T to drivethe same The disclosure also relates to h method f doing work inaccordance with the terms of the invention. FOREIGN P ENT R AP l AT AT S0 PL C IONS Methods of making permeable membranes, in particular 22,87410/ 1900 Switzerland ..417/480 membranes having unidirectionalcharacteristics are in.

cluded.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures I I 1 36 l z i P'A'TE'N'TE'BJIJNZQ I8723.670.500

PRESSURE HEAT ADDITION VOLUME FIG: 2

INVENTOR. ARTHUR H. SCHULTZ BY 09.4294, ww w my; v

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FIG: 4

INVENTOR.

ARTHUR H. SCHULTZ PATENTEBJuuzo \erz 3.670.500

sum w s FIG 5 INVENTOR.

AR THUR H. SCHULTZ PATENTEDJuuzo m2 3,670,500

SHEET 6 OF 6 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR H. SCHULTZ THERMODYNAMIC POWER SYSTEM AND METHODS PREFACE ANDDEFINITIONS The intent of specifications relating to the processes is todescribe the invention so that one skilled in the art may put theinvention into practice. For the purpose of this specification, oneskilled in the art is assumed to be an engineer, scientist, or laymanfamiliar with college level thermodynamics, and college level physics.However, due to the unique nature of the invention and to simplify andshorten explanation, several new words and phrases have been coined.Other than these newly coined words and phrases, terminology is commonto college level thermodynamics and physics.

These newly coined expressions are:

1. Unidirectional permeability" is the characteristic of a materialwhich will allow passage of fluid molecules through said material in onedirection in larger quantity than in the opposing direction. 2.Unidirectionally permeable membrane" is a membrane having thecharacteristic of unidirectional permeability.

3. Membrane compressor is a piece of hardware which has, as its purpose,the pumping of a fluid from a region of low pressure to higher pressureand which exhibits the following characteristics:

A. It has a chamber with inlet and discharge connections for B. It hasunidirectionally permeable membranes secured and supported in it in suchfashion that from the inlet to the discharge of the compressor fluidspass through the membranes to regions of progressively higher pressure.

4. "Reverse throttling process is the true reverse of the throttlingprocess described in college level thermodynamic texts; ideally it isthe compression of a gas or vapor without change of fluid temperatureand is the thermodynamic description for the processing of acompressible fluid through the membrane compressor.

5. Schultz thermodynamic cycle" is a closed thermodynamic cycle in whichthe contained compressible fluid is recirculated in sequence throughhardware as follows:

A. Through a useful work or refrigeration producing turbine where thepressure and temperature of the working fluid is reduced. The workproduced by the turbine according to texts, is equal to the change ofenthalpy of the fluid from the inlet to discharge of the turbine. Theturbine is cited here for example only; a reciprocating engine or anyother similarly functioning device may be used in place of the turbine.

B. The heat exchanger, where heat is absorbed by the working fluid fromthe local environment. Examples of heat sources are the atmosphere, theocean, or the soil. It might even be the human body. The heating processof the working fluid occurs at constant pressure. The heat addition tothe working fluid is equal to the difierence of enthalpy of the workingfluid between the inlet and discharge of the heat exchanger.

C. The membrane compressor, where the working fluid is compressed byunidirectional permeability. Basicly, the process of compression is areverse throttling process. The enthalpy at the inlet of the membranecompressor is equal to the enthalpy at the discharge of the membranecompressor for the working fluid. The enthalpy of the working fluid atthe discharge of the heat exchanger is equal to the enthalpy at thedischarge of the membrane compressor in the ideal case for the workingfluid.

D. The turbine for a repeat of the cycle.

BODY OF SPECIFICATIONS According to the kinetic theory of gases, eachmolecule of a gas, as long as it has temperature bounces off adjacentmolecules or molecular structures. At ordinary pressures, for example,that of ambient air at common temperatures, the space between moleculesis rather large when compared to the The pressure which the gas exertsis caused by the multiple impacts of the molecules.

Picture a thin membrane immersed in air. Both sides of the membrane areat the same pressure and temperature. The force and number of impacts onboth sides of the membrane average out to be equally opposed. If theprocess is greatly magnified to the point where one may see anindividual section of the membrane of the order of that influenced bytwo directly opposing gas molecules, one on each side of the membrane,and if the process is viewed as if occurring according to slow motionprinciples, a very interesting and important observation may be made.

The observation is that although the total number of impacts of a periodaverage out to be equal and at right angles to the membrane for the twoopposing molecules, the two molecules very rarely collide with themembrane at the same time, at the same angle, and at the same locationof the membrane.

A second important observation may be made about the magnified locationof the membrane and the two opposing molecules. If a one way trap doorsimilar to a check valve were in the membrane and if the trap door wereslightly larger than one molecule, elastically hinged closed butresponsive to impact of a molecule, both molecules would end up on thesame side of the trap door. Impact of a molecule when it occurred on oneside of the trap door would open the door allowing the molecule throughthe door; impact of the molecule on the op posing side of the door wouldclose the door. If molecules were continually replaced on the upstreamside of the trap door, the process would continue indefinitely unlessthe concentration of molecules on the downstream side of the trap doorreached a point where there was not enough time for the trap door toopen between downstream impacts.

A membrane containing a large number of these trap doors orientedproperly is a tremendously useful device. It can be used to developforces, compress fluids, and pump liquids among other things. Engine andlift devices can be constructed using, for example, the kinetic energyof the molecules in the air. The energy source of the air would beavailable anywhere on earth.

In line with the above explanation of the theory of the invention,reference is specifically made to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows the structure of the apparatus of the present invention andFig. 2 shows the Schultz Thermodynamic volume-pressure cycle of thegases in the apparatus of Fig. 1.

The apparatus which is disclosed in Fig. 1 includes a membranecompressor 20 which comprises wall means which define an enclosure 22. Amembrane 24 is suitably located in the enclosure 22 and serves thepurpose of dividing the enclosure into inlet 26 and outlet 27 sides.Conduit means 29 connects the inlet side of the membrane compressor to asuitable gas supply, such as air. The membrane 24 is constructed of amaterial in which the individual molecules of the membrane are connectedtogether in long chains or crystals larger than the gas molecules whichare to permeate the membrane. The membrane has been subjected to amissile on the order of the size of the gas molecules which are handledby the system and the missile has had suflicient kinetic energy or forceto tear through the molecular chains or crystals of the membrane. Thecrystals or molecules of the membrane have been stretched elasticallyand then plastically to failure. After failure, due to the residualelasticity, the molecular chains or crystals have tended to close theopening by swinging back to their original positions. However, becausethe chains or crystals have been lengthened and made discontinuous,there have been created dimple-like trap doors. This construction of themembrane enables the gas molecules from the inlet side 26 to passthrough the membrane by way of the above referred to trap doors;however, the passage of gas molecules in the reverse direction, namelyfrom the outlet side 27 to the inlet linear dimensions, such as lengthand breadth, of a molecule. side 26 is prohibited. Conduit means 31 isconnected to the let side of the membrane compressor perform work andenergy is extracted in the conventional manner. The outlet side of thework performing mechanism is connected by conduit means 36 wherein thegas on the downstream side of the turbine which is at a lowertemperature and pressure is then transported to a heat exchanger 38. Theheat exchanger may take heat from many sources, for example, the outsidesurroundingsand this heat can be absorbed by the closedcycle gas. Theoutside surroundings may be the atmosphere, water, or the earth forexample. The heat exchanger 38 brings the closed cycle gas temperaturenear to that of its surroundings. The conduit means 29 then returns thegas from the heat exchanger 38 to the inlet side 26 of the membranecompressor. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that ifthe heat exchanger were in a suitably insulated container, the cyclewould develop refrigeration at the heat exchanger. The cycle may bealtered to flow the fluid through the membrane compressor thence throughthe heat exchanger, thence through the work producing device and thenceback to membrane compressor.

It is possible to utilize atmospheric air in an open cycle of theapparatus with the heat exchanger removed. Difficulties, however, wouldbe involved with such an open cycle because the membrane compressorwould quite possibly be clogged with atmospheric contaminants.

The useful power output of the cycle ideally would be the change inenthalpy isentropically through the engine or turbine per unit timewhich would also be equal to the heat addition per unit time at the heatexchanger. In the ideal process, the membrane compressor would actisothermally. Since there would be no temperature change through themembrane, the internal energy, flow work, and enthalpy would remainequal for the inlet and discharge of the membrane compressor.

' The principle followed in constructing the membrane 24 is theprinciple that when many materials are stressed, they go through elasticdeformation, appreciable plastic deformation and then failure. Atfailure, the material has extensive deformity which it retains in largepart after fracture.

The remainder of the specification will be devoted to a description ofmethods of making permeable membranes and in particular membranes havingunidirectional characteristics.

METHOD NUMBER 1 The 1st method of producing membranes of desiredpermeability is through piercing the film with high velocity neutrons.See Fig. 3. With this method, neutrons from a radiation source 41 aredirected through the film 42 held in the carriage 43 which is movable inall directions transverse to the neutron beam. The carriage, therefore,may be moved according to a schedule to expose various parts of thefilm. A radiant heater 44 provides a source of heat to achieve desiredmembrane plasticity. The intensity of the heat is adjustable. Thecarriage and the clamps are cooled to help control temperature. Belowthe membrane is a windmill 45 delicately sup ported in a manner similarto a radiometer. lts identification is number 45 of the drawing and itspurpose is to detect molecular currents as unidirectional permeabilityoccurs. The process occurs under 'high vacuum which is contained by theclosed vessel 46. Of course, certain auxiliary equipment such as vacuumpumps, controlled metering such as a valve or variable restriction,etc., must also be provided though not shown.

METHOD NUMBER 2 Method number 2 is to produce the desired permeabilityby shooting electrons through the film. See Fig. 4. With this method,there is a source of electrons 51 which may scan the film 52, either bybeam deflection or carriage 53 movement.

There is a radiant heater 54 for conditioning the film s: and

the cooled carriage 53 which clamps and transports the film. Below thefilm is a positively charged cooled anode 55. It is a screen or grid toallow passage of molecules. Below the anode is a molecular flow windmill56 similar to that described in Method Number 1 above. The processoccurs under high vacuum which is contained by the vessel 57. Auxiliaryequipment common to maintaining conditions of vacuum and voltage, etc.is not shown.

METHOD NUMBER 3 Now method number 3 is to shoot high energy positivelycharged ions through the film. See Fig. 5. With this method, positivelycharged ions are produced at a source 61 and propelled toward the film62 located on the movable cooled carriage 63. Below the film is a gridor screen like cooled cathode 64 to allow passage of particles. Belowthe cathode is a molecular windmill 65 to detect the flow. The processoccurs under high vacuum contained by the vessel 66. There is also anadjustable radiant heater 67 to condition the film. Common auxiliaryitems such as vacuum pump and electrical power source, are not shown.

METHOD NUMBER 4 Method Number 4 is to shoot heated molecules of gasesthrough films using pressure difierence. See Fig. 6. with this method,there is a pressurized source 71 of gas admitted to conditioning chamber72 containing a temperature control element 73 thence to nozzle 74. Fromthe conditioning chamber, the molecules travel through the nozzle 74toward and through the membrane 75 held in the cooled movable carriage76. There is a radiant heat source 77 for conditioning the film. Theprocess occurs under high vacuum contained by vessel 78. Commonauxiliary equipment such as a vacuum pump is not shown. There is also amolecular windmill 79 to detect flow.

METHOD NUMBER 5 Method Number 5 is to combine elements of methods 3 and4 to use both pressure and electrical forces to propel the gas ionsthrough the film. See Fig. 7. With this method, there is a source of gasmolecules 81. The gas molecules are admitted to conditioning chamber 82,containing a temperature control element 83, thence through nozzle 84,ionizing element and through anodic accelerator 86; The ions by virtueof their velocity are then driven through film 87 held in movable cooledcarriage 88'to cooled screen or grid anode 89. Below the anode is themolecular windmill 90 to detect unidirectional flow. Auxiliary vacuumpump, etc. are not shown. The process occurs at high vacuum conditionscontained by vessel 91. There is also a radiant heat source 92 tocondition the membrane.

All the methods of making unidirectional permeable membranes hereindescribed are based on impacting a film with a missile, to distort thefilm and create sub-microscopic trap doors. Please note that thecarriage may be arranged in a manner that there is a roll of film whichis unwound to allow the film to traverse the impacting beam and then bewound onto another roll. Such an arrangement of rolls of film willproduce higher productivity of permeated membrane.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form-with acertain degree of particularity, it is understood that the presentdisclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of exampleand that numerous changes in the details of construction and thecombination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

1. A thermodynamic power system including, in combinameans connectingsaid inlet side of said membrane compressor to a source of gas, saidmembrane comprising means for permitting passage of gas moleculesthrough said membrane from said inlet side to said outlet side andprohibiting passage from said outlet side through said membrane to saidinlet side, work performing mechanism, conduit means connecting saidoutlet side of said membrane compressor to said work performingmechanism to drive the same.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat exchanger is provided,conduit means connecting the outlet side of the work performingmechanism to said heat exchanger and the inlet side of the membranecompressor to the outlet side of said heat exchanger whereby a closedsystem is formed.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the order of fluid flow isfrom membrane compressor to heat exchanger, thence through workproducing device thence return to membrane compressor.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gas is air.

5. A system is claimed in claim 2, wherein said gas is air.

6. A closed thermodynamic power system including, in combination, amembrane compressor comprising wall means defining an enclosure, anunidirectionally permeable membrane in said enclosure dividing same intoinlet and outlet sides, a work performing mechanism, conduit meansconnecting the outlet side of said membrane compressor to said workperforming mechanism and then said work performing mechanism to theinlet side of said membrane in a closed loop, gas molecules in saidclosed loop, said unidirectionally permeable membrane comprising meansfor allowing said gas molecules through the same in one direction towardsaid work performing mechanism in larger quantities than in the oppositedirection, said gas molecules being successively recycled by being firstcompressed without change of fluid temperature, then isentropicallyexpanded and then undergoing constant pressure heating.

1. A thermodynamic power system including, in combination, a membranecompressor comprising wall means defining an enclosure, anunidirectionally permeable membrane in said enclosure dividing same intoinlet and outlet sides, conduit means connecting said inlet side of saidmembrane compressor to a source of gas, said membrane comprising meansfor permitting passage of gas molecules through said membrane from saidinlet side to said outlet side and prohibiting passage from said outletside through said membrane to said inlet side, work performingmechanism, conduit means connecting said outlet side of said membranecompressor to said work performing mechanism to drive the same.
 2. Asystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat exchanger is provided,conduit means connecting the outlet side of the work performingmechanism to said heat exchanger and the inlet side of the membranecompressor to the outlet side of said heat exchanger whereby a closedsystem is formed.
 3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orderof fluid flow is from membrane compressor to heat exchanger, thencethrough work producing device thence return to membrane compressor.
 4. Asystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gas is air.
 5. A system isclaimed in claim 2, wherein said gas is air.
 6. A closed thermodynamicpower system including, in combination, a membrane compressor comprisingwall means defining an enclosure, an unidirectionally permeable membranein said enclosure dividing same into inlet and outlet sides, a workperforming mechanism, conduit means connecting the outlet side of saidmembrane compressor to said work performing mechanism and then said workperforming mechanism to the inlet side of said membrane in a closedloop, gas molecules in said closed loop, said unidirectionally permeablemembrane comprising means for allowing said gas molecules through thesame in one direction toward said work performing mechanism in largerquantities than in the opposite direction, said gas molecules beingsuccessively recycled by being first compressed without change of fluidtemperature, then isentropically expanded and then undergoing constantpressure heating.